Given the facts of my own Mother’s case pertinent enough, but as the basis for a major article by a doctor, about a now active concern, in one of the country’s more major newspapers to the relevant demographic, through focussing on the NHS it shows this is not getting better, or going away.

May I highlight some key areas quotes from the piece:

“Indeed, once upon a time if a patient developed a bedsore the nurses would get into terrible trouble. ”

“We know about this, thanks to a shocking new book, How We Treat The Sick. This sickening account should be compulsory reading for anybody — nurses, doctors, managers, politicians — involved in the care of patients, in the NHS and the independent sector. ”

“The GP was so disturbed he complained to the hospital ”

“And I know only too well that the private sector is far from immune.”

“I’ve written before about the lack of continuity of care as a result of destroying the ‘firm’ — a patient used to be assigned to one firm (or team) of medics. The firm comprised one or two house officers (recently graduated doctors), the senior house officers, registrars and senior registrars and, at the top of the hierarchy, the consultant.
This firm ensured continuity of patient care. But the firm is no more. Now patient care has become like a high-risk version of pass-the-parcel — patients are simply handed from doctor to doctor with notes in a folder and no one following them through.”

“The Healthcare Commission (now the Care Quality Commission), the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and the General Medical Council — are pretty much a waste of time, by and large asleep, impotent and incompetent when it comes to ensuring healthcare professionals look after patients properly.”

“The Care Quality Commission has the power to enforce rules about safety, dignity, nutrition and infection, but does it have the will?”

“So read Michael Mandelstam’s book and be infuriated. When someone you love goes to hospital, keep records and take photos as evidence. Then complain — to the managers (write down their names), to the Care Quality Commission. And if they ignore you, complain about them to your MP.”

A few further questions are inevitably now raised. For instance, I am trying to reconcile ‘ The Care Quality Commission has the power to enforce rules about safety, dignity, nutrition and infection ‘ with CQC’s latest representative feedback to me suggesting something less definitive, or proactive, or effective.

Hence my sad journey continues, apparently with possibly more obstacles being added, but also more people uncovered to contact and hence opportunities for shared experiences to be aired… and make a difference.